


The Jigsaw Puzzle

by desertfriend



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Clone Wars (Star Wars), Fluff and Humor, Gen, trooper shenanigans, what war?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 13:55:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28511511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/desertfriend/pseuds/desertfriend
Summary: How many clone troopers does it take to complete a jigsaw puzzle?  Torrent troopers have a bit of fun.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 32





	The Jigsaw Puzzle

**Author's Note:**

> Mando'a translations:
> 
> Vod--brother  
> di'kut--idiot  
> Oya!--expression of enthusiasm, "let's hunt!"

The Jigsaw Puzzle

Fives breezed into the Torrent Company barracks, intent on informing his fellow ARC Trooper, Echo, of the new orders that had just come down from the higher-ups. He knew his batchmate was not going to like their new mission, and the ornery part of him relished giving Echo the bad news just so he could watch his grumpy reaction. Fives grinned to himself in anticipation as he advanced towards Echo but all those thoughts flew out of his head when he saw his brother bent over the worktable at the back of the room.

“What are you doing?!” Fives asked with immediate curiosity, placing his helmet on a bunk in passing as he approached the table.

Echo didn’t look up from his task as he replied idly, “A jigsaw puzzle. Ahsoka gave it to me to try.” He continued to dump out small, oddly shaped pieces onto the tabletop from a colorful box.

Fives leaned over the table next to his brother and picked up a small puzzle piece. “A jig….what?” 

“A _jigsaw_ puzzle. See, you fit all these little pieces together and it makes a picture. Here’s the box. This is what it will look like.”

Fives took the box and studied the color picture on the front. It was a bright cityscape with cheerful people strolling along a sidewalk in front of businesses and shops of all kinds. It looked just the sort of place Fives would like to go on a free afternoon. Pleasantly busy, with things to see, new foods to try, people (girls) to meet. “500 pieces,” he quoted. “ _Vod._ That’s gonna take you forever.” 

Echo had started to lay out the pieces flat so the colored side of each piece faced up. “Not really. Ahsoka said she finished it in one morning between campaigns.”

Making an instant decision and forgetting everything else, Fives sat down at the bench to help Echo with this unexpected new project. “Right,” he said briskly, all business. “What do we do?”

Echo glanced affectionately at his batchmate’s enthusiasm then explained, “First, we lay out all the pieces right side up, then we build the frame. The frame is the outside border, and it’s made with these edge pieces with the one straight side, see?” Fives took the edge piece Echo held out and, seeing the difference, nodded. He began to rapidly turn over pieces and set the edge pieces in the middle of the workspace, copying Echo.

They worked in companionable silence when suddenly Fives grabbed the puzzle box and exclaimed, “Look! These pieces are part of the red tea stall. I can start putting that part together right now.” Fives quickly began gathering bright red pieces he thought he needed, but Echo forcefully thumped the back of his brother’s hand with a flick of his finger. 

“No, _Vod_. That’s not how you do it. We have to put the border together first.” Echo placidly ignored the huff of irritation from Fives and continued to sort the edge pieces from the others, setting them in the middle. 

“What, is that a rule?” Fives inquired, with a disgruntled frown, as he studied the back of the box for instructions. Echo rudely grabbed the box back and set it aside on the table. “No. But that’s just how it’s done. Ahsoka said.” 

Fives looked aggrieved, but set the pieces in his hand aside and went back to the tedious job of sorting pieces. “Well. I guess ‘Soka would know. But… _I wanna do that tea stall_ , when we’re done with----”

He was interrupted by the sudden arrival of Lt Jesse who burst in and walked towards them, exclaiming, “Hey, do you know anything about our new orders---?” He stopped at the table in surprise, and put both hands on Five’s shoulders as he leaned over to stare at the mess on the table. “What the sithspit are you doing?” He reached over to grab a puzzle piece but Fives nabbed it adroitly and put it back with its fellows. “Can’t ya see Cog-Head, we’re doin’ a puzzle.” Jesse, instantly interested, sat down next to Fives, and watched as Echo finished turning the last few pieces right side up. He wordlessly handed the box to Jesse, who studied the cityscape picture with raised eyebrows. “What’s the objective?”

Fives acted the expert as he said airily, “See. You put all the pieces together and it makes that picture. But first we have to build the frame. That’s regulation.”

Echo’s lips quirked in a small smile and his eyes softened at his batchmate. Fives might secretly (or loudly) think Echo was too much by the book, but he always had Echo’s back. Now that the edge pieces were sorted, Echo sat down on the opposite bench and quickly began to gather the sky edge pieces out from the sidewalk, and buildings bits, to make the frame. 

Jesse looked at the box then at all the little pieces arranged over the work table and decided to throw his lot in with his squadmates. “I’ll do the sidewalk at the bottom.”

With Clone efficiency, the three soon finished piecing together the frame. Now for the fun part. But when Fives saw Jesse pick up a random red puzzle piece and look at the box, he grabbed the piece and glared fiercely at him. “I’m doing the tea stall, _Vod_.” Jesse elbowed him roughly to make a point but said agreeably, “S’Okay. I’m gonna do the people. That girl is pretty.”

In the quiet, as they each began to focus on a particular section of the puzzle, Captain Rex’s voice suddenly came over Five’s comm. “ _Fives, location.”_

“Uh-oh, Echo. I’m supposed to be filling you in on our new mission. We’re all gonna rendezvous with the 212th tomorrow. There’s a brief later today.” He looked a little sheepish when Echo muttered, “Wondered why you’re wearing full armor kit,” but Fives responded briskly back to his captain over the comm. “ _Barracks, Sir.”_

_“Mission briefing with the Council is scheduled for 1500 on the bridge. Inform your squad. Rex out.”_

_“Copy that.”_ Fives shifted closer to the table. “Plenty of time to finish this. So! Consider yourselves informed, Squad,” he smirked. “Now go tell Kix, Jesse. I’m busy making tea.” Echo snorted.

“ _You_ tell your medic, _squad leader_ ,” Jesse mocked. “I almost have this oh-so-happy-family put together,” he said smugly, as he elbowed Five’s arm again and added a shove.

“Hey, careful!” groused Fives. “You knocked some pieces on the floor, _di’kut_!” Echo looked up in some concern. “Ya, _Vod._ Don’t lose any pieces. This is Ahsoka’s. Not to mention, we wouldn’t have a finished picture.” 

Jesse looked unrepentant but acknowledged their point. “Ya, I can’t find this girl’s face. The pretty one.” He bent and carefully retrieved the dropped pieces but none were what he was searching for. “Well, it’ll turn up.”

_  
“Jesse, where the Force are you??”_ Lt Kix’s exasperated voice came over Jesse’s comm and he casually responded, “B _arracks, Kix.”_ He smacked the back of Five’s head and said, “Now you can inform our medic about the new mission orders.” Fives reflexively grabbed Jesse’s wrist and roughly twisted it behind his back until Jesse grunted.

Echo rolled his eyes with a muttered, “Children.” Fives grinned across at him but quickly released Jesse’s wrist when he looked down at the loosely gathered puzzle pieces in front of his victim. “Hey, I need that piece! Now I can finish this tea cannister.” 

Jesse rotated his maltreated wrist with a slight scowl but allowed Fives to take the piece. Jesse looked over at where Echo was working on some buildings and was impressed despite himself. “Stars, Echo. You did a lot.”

Echo reached over to jab Jesse’s bicep in acknowledgement but looked quietly pleased as he bent back over his section. “Ya, I almost have this roofline completed.” Fives hummed in appreciation at his batchmate’s efficiency, but frowned as he looked at the box. “What should I work on now? I finished the tea stall,” he lamented.

No one responded but they all looked up at the door as Kix came steaming in. “Jesse, you missed your physical this morning! I can’t clear you for field work unless…What’s all this?” Kix stopped at the work table and looked in some surprise at the unusually tame project his fellow troopers were engaged in. 

Fives gestured with his chin. “It’s Echo’s puzzle.” Then, boastfully, “We’re almost halfway done!”

Kix leaned in and said accusingly, “Where’s the girl’s face?”

Jesse waved his hand dismissively, “Haven’t found it yet. You can help us,” he said grandly, as if bestowing a generous bequest. 

Kix snorted. “Sure, and all the troop physicals will magically write themselves up.” But he immediately moved in to sit next to Echo. He looked at everyone else’s particular sections and then examined the picture on the box. “Is anyone doing this restaurant?”

“You can,” Echo replied mildly, then huffed at Fives as he took a piece right out of his hand and placed it with a satisfied tap in the section of alleyway he had started. Fives grinned at his brother’s irritation but scanned the loose pieces around the table. “Anyone see a Tooka? It goes in my alley.”

“A Tooka! Where?” Jesse leaned into Five’s space and then grabbed the box and squinted. “I don’t see a Tooka…Oh there it is, sitting on the trash receptacle. Aww.”

After several minutes, Echo glanced up at his squadmates, all fully engrossed in the jigsaw puzzle, and said leadingly, “Fives, shouldn’t you brief us…before the _briefing_ …with the Council. 1500…on the bridge?”

Kix, enjoying this unexpected little period of relaxation away from the always busy med-bay, said in a disinterested voice without looking up, “What briefing?”

Fives took a moment to nab a puzzle piece out of Kix’s hand and place it showily in his alleyway section with a superior smile at Kix’s annoyed face. Then stated, “Ya Fellas, we’re meeting up with the 212th tomorrow. Big campaign on Geonosis.” He gestured lazily, “And what Echo said.”

All his squadmates groaned fervently at this news. “Geonosis! _Again_! Hate that place.” 

“So much dust. Thousands of those kriffin’ bugs…”

Their heartfelt complaints were interrupted by Captain Rex’s crisp voice coming in the comms again. _“Kix. Status on medical readiness befitting mission parameters?”_

Kix straightened on the bench and, with a withering glance at Fives, responded in his comm, _“Sir, I am being briefed at this moment…by Fives.” _

_“Acknowledged. General Kenobi has requested our contingency plans for transportation of additional medical supplies into the drop zone.”_

Kix now leveled a murderous look at Fives at hearing the unexpectedly detailed requirements for the upcoming briefing but responded smoothly, _“Understood, Captain.”_

_“Good. Rex out.”_

“Fives, you feckless _di’kut_! Fill us in on Geonosis. This does not sound routine.”

“Relax. We have 3 hours,” Fives jibed back, but he dutifully pulled out his holopad and succinctly summarized the mission for them. When he finished and looked up, all three soldiers were looking at him with expressions ranging from shock to deep indignation.

Echo expostulated, “Fives! We’re all sitting here, doing this…this stupid puzzle, when we should be preparing for this highly complicated, multi-faceted ground operation! I can’t believe you---”

Kix was equally aghast and interrupted disgustedly as he pulled himself away from the table, “So much to do. Gotta corral Coric…”

Jesse groaned and shook his head, but as he stood and leaned over the table, his eyes zeroed in on a certain puzzle piece. “Hey, is this that girl’s face?!”

Despite themselves, Kix and Echo gathered around Jesse, and Fives leaned forward to study the piece. “Nah. That’s not her. It’s the shop lady,” he concluded wryly. Jesse put the piece in to complete the other woman but couldn’t resist searching again for the girl’s face amongst the other loose pieces. The other troopers bent back in, finding it difficult to tear themselves away from the engrossing jigsaw puzzle.

“S’alright. We still have three hours before the brief,” Fives murmured as he held up a piece he hoped was the missing Tooka.

“ _Sgt_ _Coric,” Kix_ commed. _“Assemble contingency plans for drop-off of supplementary medical supplies in hostile terrain for today‘s 1500 brief, over.”_ Jesse grinned at him as Coric responded affirmatively and then he himself commed Dogma and ordered him to initiate outfitting of the scouts for desert terrain. He socked Kix on the arm and bent to the puzzle, saying complacently, “Command does indeed have its privileges.” 

Echo looked doubtful and a little anxious, but Fives clapped him on the back and pointed at the puzzle, saying bracingly, “We’re almost done, _Vod_. And you don’t need 3 hours to prepare for that briefing. The unerringly proficient, and highly capable Echo…only needs 20 minutes.” Echo couldn’t help warm at his batchmate’s compliment, and the simple truth of the statement caused him to waver. He capitulated completely when Kix pointed and said matter-of-factly, “Isn’t this part of that window casing you need?” Echo took the piece, sat down again, and gave a hum of pleasure as he saw it was indeed the piece he wanted. 

The four men worked studiously for long minutes, heads bent over the table companionably, enjoying some unaccustomed peace in this time of galactic war. The quiet was broken only by teasing, grumbling, and hassling such as “Who jammed these two pieces together?! They _clearly_ do not fit…” or “Seriously, you thought that piece went there? It’s not even the right color…” or “Hey, _I’m_ working on this shop window, back off, _di’kut_.”

Fives found the Tooka and placed it with an enthusiastic “Yes!” But when he looked at what the others were working on, he groused, “We’ll just be left with sky and sidewalk at the end. Look at all that blue and gray we still have to do!” His gloomy thoughts were interrupted when Kix finished the restaurant and he said, “Look, the restaurant can connect right here to the alleyway, Fives. We just need the roof and the wall.”

Echo looked over and replied, “I’ve done all the roof and balcony sections already. I can just slide it over there….hmmm….Using the box lid.” His squad watched tensely as Echo slowly slid the large completed section sitting in front of him from the table onto the lid and then carefully slid the section down to the middle of the puzzle. The troopers released the collective breath they were holding during the uncertain transport and then helped re-connect the loose pieces. Echo rapidly fit the buildings and alley together and they all looked in satisfaction at the largely completed puzzle. 

Jesse gripped Echo’s shoulder and squeezed viciously with a pleased look, then to further release his feelings, scrubbed his knuckles briskly over Kix’s close-cropped hair. Kix hid an affectionate grin by ducking away and saying gruffly, “You still haven’t found the rest of that girl.” Jesse pursed his lips and nodded at the challenge. Each head bent to scan the remaining pieces.

The peace was instantly shattered when the door suddenly opened with a whoosh and Captain Rex strode in, dressed in full armor kit with his helmet tucked correctly under his left arm. All four soldiers scrambled guiltily to their feet in surprise, wondering frantically what time it was, and what kind of excuse they could possibly give to their superior officer.

Captain Rex’s face was a mask, completely devoid of expression, as he took in the guilty air of his men and the partially completed task on the work table. His voice was dry as he intoned, “Gentlemen.” He advanced forward and his troopers backed away to stand aside. Rex steadily held the eye of each in turn, then leaned down and silently studied the jigsaw puzzle. The nervousness and tension of the men increased when he raised a steely eye to his Best and Brightest, tapping his index finger firmly on the puzzle for a count of ten. 

Finally, standing tall, he demanded, “Where’s the girl’s face?”

Fives recovered from his surprise first. “Sir, we’re looking for it. We still have quite a few pieces to go, for the sky and…” he waved his hand vaguely, “whatnot.” 

Their captain paused for a beat, squinted at the puzzle, then said in brusque command, “Right. Echo and Fives, you work on the sky.” He set his helmet on a nearby bunk and sat down at the table. “Kix and Jesse, you’re on the sidewalk. I’m going to fill in the missing bits of the people and shops.” Jesse opened his mouth to protest his assignment but one look at Rex’s set face changed his mind and he meekly sat down next to Kix. Echo and Fives quickly followed suit, after exchanging unbelieving looks and conspiratorial smiles with their squadmates at inadvertently luring their captain into such a frivolous occupation. 

“Been a sithstorm of a day,” Rex murmured in rare complaint as he examined a colorful green piece and placed it to complete a shopper’s shirt. “Hours of tedious requisitions for coordination of the two legions….the Jedi Council busy giving conflicting directives…General Skywalker…well, being entirely General Skywalker. Can’t tell you how I needed a spot of peace.” 

Jesse cheekily clapped his captain on the back and said cheerfully, “We got your six, Sir! There’s still an hour and a half before the briefing, plenty of time to finish this.” Rex growled low in his throat at the reminder of his pressing duties but allowed himself the luxury of sitting a few moments in the quiet industry of the puzzle. 

Fives grumped about the difficulty of the sky. “Echo, how are you doing it so fast? It’s all just…blue!” Echo was tempted to scoff at his batchmate but took pity and explained how he was using the faint clouds to help match the pieces. Fives bumped their shoulders together in unspoken thanks and then knuckled down to help finish. There, done!

Fives glanced up to see the progress the rest were making and saw that Kix and Jesse had just finished all the sidewalk. Echo exclaimed, “Hey Captain, you’re finished with the city and all the people. Oh.” He paused. “All except for the girl’s face.” 

All five men leaned in and sure enough, the entire jigsaw puzzle was completed, except for the one piece needed to fill in the pretty girl’s face. They all instantly lifted arms and elbows checking for the piece, then looked around on the floor and under the table, but no luck. The last piece was indeed missing.

A collective sense of dissatisfaction and annoyance descended on the clones as they looked at each other unhappily. All that work, and there sat the cheerful cityscape picture, visibly marred by the one empty piece in the middle. 

Echo shook it off first and sighed as he stood up. “Well, guess I better prepare for that brief…”

Kix stood and, medic responsibilities falling firmly back on his shoulders, grabbed Jesse’s arm. “You’ve got to have your physical right now or you won’t be cleared for duty tomorrow!” Jesse snorted in impatience but obediently backed from the table. Fives shook his head in disgust, hunched a shoulder in defeat, then headed towards Echo. 

The troopers’ movements were instantly arrested by the cold hard voice of their captain. “No one leaves this room.” 

The men were brought up short and they all faced Rex with surprise and uncertainty. “Sir...?” Echo ventured.

Rex’s stony face was dead calm but serious. “I mean it…no one leaves until we find that missing piece. One thing in my day is gonna go right.”

Kix protested with puckered brows, “But surely Captain you can’t be serious….”  
  


Captain Rex didn’t deign a response and his grim lines spoke volumes. Jesse, surprised at this unexpected behavior in his usually level-headed superior couldn’t suppress a huff of humor.

Rex narrowed his eyes. “Think this is funny soldier?” Jesse, hearing the menacing tone, carefully pulled himself to stand at attention as he immediately responded, “Sir! No Sir!”

“That’s what I thought. Now.” Captain Rex pointed emphatically at the worktable and his soldiers began earnestly searching for the lost piece. Echo moved a bench back, and Fives crawled under the table on his knees, at the same time Jesse and Kix picked it up to move it aside so Rex could look under the legs. Consequently, a table leg bonked Fives in the head and he swore loudly at his squadmates’ clumsiness. “Watch it, Binks-spawn!”

Echo roughly hauled his brother to his feet and when Fives pulled his arm from his batchmate’s grasp in vexation he accidentally swung back and smacked Jesse in the face. Jesse, startled and now thoroughly irritated, swung his fist out for Five’s head, but the ARC reflexively ducked and the fist connected with Echo instead. Fives came instantly to Echo’s defense and dove for Jesse’s legs, knocking him off his feet near the worktable.

Captain Rex’s shouted, “Hey, mind the puzzle!” was completely lost in the scuffling as Kix grabbed Fives around the neck to pull him away from Jesse, and Echo levelled a jab at Kix’s core. Kix defensively backed up right into Rex, who pushed him away from the worktable and followed it up by swiping Echo’s feet out from under him. The four troopers came to their feet with lightening speed and each assumed ready position, drilled into them by countless training sessions with their inexhaustible captain. 

The soldiers looked at each other for a single beat, eyes suddenly coming alight with the joy of battle, then Jesse, with a shout of “ _Oya!”_ unexpectantly launched himself at Rex. The table went down, the jigsaw pieces scattered, but the vigorous free-for-all which followed was heartfelt, efficient, and thoroughly satisfying for each participant. 

The fun ended all too soon for the troopers when Captain Rex’s comm chirped and Commander Cody’s clipped voice cut clearly through the noise and brought them back to a sense of their responsibilities with a jolt. _“Captain Rex, location.”_

All five soldiers immediately disengaged and tumbled down to the floor of the chaotic barracks, looking somewhat sheepish and rather tousled. Rex, barely out of breath from his exertions, responded calmly, _“Barracks, Commander.”_

_“Confirm Bridge location of Council briefing at 1500, over.”_

_“Affirmative, Commander. See you there. Rex out.”_ Captain Rex sighed quietly but the careworn look he carried had disappeared and the mischievous grin that broke out gave his face a rare boyish quality. His eyes warmed at his Best and Brightest as they caught their breath, looking relaxed and happy. Kix grabbed Jesse’s shoulder in a fond grasp and Fives scruffed Echo’s hair back into disorder with a smirk after he had just carefully smoothed it back into place. They helped each other up with outstretched hands and claps on the back.

Rex swept Jesse and Kix towards the door, with a nod at Fives and Echo, saying briskly, “Come on Boys. We’ve got a war to win.” The three exited the barracks first, leaving the batchmates behind. Echo frowned back at the room in shambles, the knocked over table and benches, and the 500 scattered jigsaw pieces. “Ahsoka’s gonna kill me.” Fives elbowed him lightly and said bracingly, “Don’t worry _Vod_ , I’ll help you clean it up after the brief.” Echo nodded his thanks, picked up the puzzle box laying forgotten on the floor and tossed it on his bunk. 

As they made their way to the door, Fives straightened his ARC uniform and Echo remembered that he needed to be fully kitted for the brief with the Council as well. He turned back to his bunk but stopped in surprise at hearing a triumphant exclamation from Fives.

“Echo look! It’s the piece with the girl’s face!” He held a small puzzle piece in his slim fingers and eagerly flourished it towards his brother. His face showed delighted surprise and disbelief as he crowed, “It was caught in the band of my _kama_! Might’a been there the whole time…”

Captain Rex would have been thoroughly chagrined and disappointed that Five’s intensive and time-consuming ARC training did nothing to prepare him for the painful startle of a jigsaw puzzle box as the corner hit him squarely in the middle of his forehead. 

**Author's Note:**

> Loosely based on the wonderful Laurel and Hardy short, called Me and My Pal (1933), which can be found on YouTube.


End file.
